2023
Prevalence of malnutrition among Samoan children aged 5 to 11 years in 2019–2020
Choy C, Lupematasila V, Arorae M, Tafunaina F, Unasa F, Soti-Ulberg C, Reupena M, Duckham R, Faasalele-Savusa K, Naseri T, Hawley N. Prevalence of malnutrition among Samoan children aged 5 to 11 years in 2019–2020. Annals Of Human Biology 2023, 50: 200-205. PMID: 37166449, PMCID: PMC10214481, DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2023.2197298.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverweight/obesityExact testWorld Health Organization z scoreNutrition transitionPrevalence of malnutritionBody mass indexFisher's exact testComplete physical assessmentLevel of malnutritionComprehensive intervention strategiesAnemia prevalenceMass indexSamoan childrenHigh prevalenceObesityHemoglobin concentrationAnemiaZ-scorePhysical assessmentPrevalenceModerate stuntingUnderweightChi-squareMalnutritionChild's age
2022
Is overweight or obesity associated with anemia in children? Follow-up of Samoans in the Ola Tuputupua’e “Growing Up” study
Choy CC, Howe CJ, Soti-Ulberg C, Naseri T, Reupena MS, Duckham RL, Hawley NL. Is overweight or obesity associated with anemia in children? Follow-up of Samoans in the Ola Tuputupua’e “Growing Up” study. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice 2022, 16: 144-150. PMID: 35256305, PMCID: PMC9636893, DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2022.02.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOverweight/obesityObesity-related inflammationPrevalence ratiosIron deficiencyDouble burdenPrevalence of anemiaBody mass indexAge z-scorePoisson regression modelsCohort studyMass indexSamoan childrenHigh prevalenceObesityAnemiaZ-scoreCovariate adjustmentConfidence intervalsMicronutrient deficienciesInflammationChildrenPrevalenceFurther investigationRegression modelsDeficiencyCREBRF missense variant rs373863828 has both direct and indirect effects on type 2 diabetes and fasting glucose in Polynesian peoples living in Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand
Russell EM, Carlson JC, Krishnan M, Hawley NL, Sun G, Cheng H, Naseri T, Reupena M, Viali S, Tuitele J, Major TJ, Miljkovic I, Merriman TR, Deka R, Weeks DE, McGarvey ST, Minster RL. CREBRF missense variant rs373863828 has both direct and indirect effects on type 2 diabetes and fasting glucose in Polynesian peoples living in Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care 2022, 10: e002275. PMID: 35144939, PMCID: PMC8845200, DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002275.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBody mass indexType 2 diabetesAssociation of BMIHigher body mass indexMinor alleleType 2 diabetes riskCross-sectional associationsPacific Island populationsRs373863828 genotypeMass indexDiabetes riskHigher oddsLower oddsDiabetesObesityEvidence of differencesMissense variantsRs373863828Regression analysisGlucoseAssociationOddsIndirect effectsPolynesian individuals
2021
A murine model of the human CREBRFR457Q obesity-risk variant does not influence energy or glucose homeostasis in response to nutritional stress
Kanshana JS, Mattila PE, Ewing MC, Wood AN, Schoiswohl G, Meyer AC, Kowalski A, Rosenthal SL, Gingras S, Kaufman BA, Lu R, Weeks DE, McGarvey ST, Minster RL, Hawley NL, Kershaw EE. A murine model of the human CREBRFR457Q obesity-risk variant does not influence energy or glucose homeostasis in response to nutritional stress. PLOS ONE 2021, 16: e0251895. PMID: 34520472, PMCID: PMC8439463, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251895.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMurine modelGlucose homeostasisEnergy/glucose homeostasisOdds of diabetesOdds of obesityObesity risk variantsAlternative preclinical modelsPromotes obesityPreclinical modelsKnockin miceObesityDiabetesStrong heritable componentExtensive phenotypic analysisMissense variantsOrthologous variantDiseaseMiceOddsAdaptive transcriptional responseExtreme nutritional stressNutritional stressHomeostasisGenetic contributionRegulatory factors
2020
Piloting a food photo sorting activity in Samoa to assess maternal beliefs and their role in child diet
Tanawattanacharoen VK, Choy CC, Anesi TJ, Naseri T, Soti‐Ulberg C, Reupena MS, Hawley NL. Piloting a food photo sorting activity in Samoa to assess maternal beliefs and their role in child diet. Maternal And Child Nutrition 2020, 16: e12974. PMID: 32056393, PMCID: PMC7296816, DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12974.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChildren's dietary intakeDietary intakeChildhood obesityChildren's dietsHealthier child dietMaternal beliefsAlarming burdenSamoan mothersKnowledge/beliefsNutritional knowledgeEating habitsNutritional expertsIntakeHealthy foodsMothersObesityCountry settingsCost of foodStatusDietPearson correlationFood costsAdditional supportParental beliefsFood
2016
The growing threat of non-communicable disease to pregnancy health
Hawley N. The growing threat of non-communicable disease to pregnancy health. Pacific Journal Of Reproductive Health 2016, 1 DOI: 10.18313/pjrh.2016.909.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-communicable diseasesChild health effortsPrevalence of obesityRelated non-communicable diseasesSkilled health providersChronic hypertensionObstetric populationMaternal deathsNewborn deathsPregnancy healthPregnant womenGlobal maternalHealth effortsHealth providersAdequate nutritionEssential medicinesDiseaseDeathHypertensionPrematurityObesityDiabetesMaternalMortalityPrevalence
2015
Obesity and Diabetes in Pacific Islanders: the Current Burden and the Need for Urgent Action
Hawley NL, McGarvey ST. Obesity and Diabetes in Pacific Islanders: the Current Burden and the Need for Urgent Action. Current Diabetes Reports 2015, 15: 29. PMID: 25809458, DOI: 10.1007/s11892-015-0594-5.Peer-Reviewed Original Research